last year i learned that you and your friends should always have a predetermined rendevous point in case you lose track of each other in the crowd. last year, i lost my friend at around 1pm and i didn't see him until after coachella let out and we met at the car in the parking lot! so i roamed coachella alone a majority of the day. we both had cell phones but you can't get a connection b/c the cell towers are swamped with thousands of people trying to make calls!

kimery08

03-21-2007, 12:21 PM

no pants for me. i friggin died last year.

and then i came back to life for this years fest.

smilingdownward

03-21-2007, 01:44 PM

dont let your friends talk you into hauling all their shit around for them. make sure that both of you or none of you have a back pack. and dont let them talk you into staying in the beer jail all day. i learned my lesson the hard way. was much better on day two of that year.

Courtney

03-21-2007, 01:56 PM

things learned from previous years:

1. remember to bring your camera
2. remember to use your camera
3. don't rely on your cell phone to communicate with friends
4. feet need sunscreen too
5. scalpers can actually be nice guys and even give you free stuff
6. put water and snacks in the car for the wait in the parking lot after the show

HEADSTRUCK

03-21-2007, 02:08 PM

things learned from previous years:

6. put water and snacks in the car for the wait in the parking lot after the show

how long does it take u 2 get outta there? should i just walk back to palm desert?

rivetbutt

03-21-2007, 02:14 PM

bring a freaking flashlight... even a small led one helps you from tripping over people once it gets dark.

invisiblerobots

03-21-2007, 02:14 PM

how long does it take u 2 get outta there? should i just walk back to palm desert?

Yes, you should definitely walk back to Palm Desert. Bring a map though just in case.

rampaige

03-21-2007, 02:23 PM

Take it easy on the alcohol and other substances when the sun is at its hottest. My friend, who under normal circumstances can easily drink anyone under the table, spent most of Saturday last year in the first aid tent because she assumed she could chug beer as normal. She has almost no recollection of any of that day.

Also, when coming up with a meeting spot, be very specific. We agreed to meet at the Virgin Store tent...so for nearly 15 minutes my friend and I waited patiently inside it while our other friend paced around the outside wondering where in the hell we were.

If there's a band you want to see but none of your group wants to, ditch them and see the band. You can meet up later.

lindseyb

03-21-2007, 02:51 PM

4. feet need sunscreen too so do ears and scalps.

Courtney

03-21-2007, 03:06 PM

bring a freaking flashlight... even a small led one helps you from tripping over people once it gets dark.

Yeah, and don't be one of those people who thinks it's cute to lie in the middle of the foot traffic in the dark without any sort of glow stick or light or anything.

thelastgreatman

03-21-2007, 03:13 PM

Don't drop E and A together at 5 pm because there's still several hours of desert sun left and even though the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at dusk will be amazing, Sleater Kinney will hurt you badly and you'll end up running around like a dehydrated madman during Massive Attack.

crazzz2007

03-21-2007, 03:51 PM

how long does it take u 2 get outta there? should i just walk back to palm desert?

Yes, you should definitely walk back to Palm Desert. Bring a map though just in case.

you should walk back for sure. it's a very pleasant 25 minute walk.

jimmycrackcorn

03-21-2007, 04:04 PM

a cheap BIG hat comes in handy during the day...
have your GF take off her sunglasses when you ask her if you are sunburning on your back:mad:

HEADSTRUCK

03-21-2007, 04:08 PM

you should walk back for sure. it's a very pleasant 25 minute walk.

i was kidding, it is 12 miles....geez

HEADSTRUCK

03-21-2007, 04:08 PM

a
have your GF take off her sunglasses when you ask her if you are sunburning on your back:mad:

haha

webfairy

03-21-2007, 09:58 PM

bring a freaking flashlight... even a small led one helps you from tripping over people once it gets dark.

You are brilliant! It is so true, I have fallen over so many people laying in the shadows.

If you are planning on getting close to the stages at any time, where closed toe shoes! I know it sounds like common sense but I every year I see some little chick in flip-flops complaining about how everyone keeps steping on her toes.

HEADSTRUCK

03-21-2007, 10:16 PM

the girls i was with at lolla last year did that and their feet where all cut up and nasty by the end of the weekend

Boourns

03-22-2007, 02:36 AM

Really pace yourself. Avoid being in the sun as much as humanly possible until around 5. If a band you're curious about seeing is playing the main stage or outdoor theater at high noon, I'd recommend checking them out from the shade, even if it's far away.

The tents can get disgustingly hot during the day when crowded, but I discovered last year that it is actually better than being in the sun.

Seems obvious, but I really need to find a hat this year. Hard to find one that actually fits me, grrrr. Racists.

When you take a dump (and you will, unless you're a constipated old fart), make sure to do it early in the day in one of the toilet trailers. Far better than a portapotty, and I say early in the day because these things sometimes get overflowing with shit later in the day. And if not, the lines are incredibly long.

Pot is better in cookies than smoked. More discreet. Peanut butter, of course. Chocolate chip would obviously melt.

If your feet get those huge, pus-filled blisters before the end of the festival, just commit suicide. Walking around like that is far too agonizing.

Don't eat anything spicy. And the "Chinese food" is the most overpriced food available. Yes, you will be hungry again in an hour, but your wallet will be empty.

If you have a choice between seeing a whole set from one band or half sets from two, the former is usually the best when the band in question is great.

There's no such thing as too much water. If you find yourself seeing a band under the sun early in the day, don't bring a bottle of water. Bring two. I did this for Giant Drag last year and it was a good idea because I finished the first bottle before they even started playing.

Don't bother trying to see a headliner from the front. It either involves a lot of pain and suffering or being a major asshole.

If you need to lie down at night, do so in a well lit area, or one where people aren't going to be constantly walking by.

Food is fucking scares by 11pm. Usually something will be available at camp if you have the midnight munchies, but the lines are long and they run out of everything. So get your eat on an act or two before the headliner.

webfairy

03-22-2007, 08:16 AM

Oh yeah another note on snacks.....bring some in the car not only for the 1-2 hour line to park at coachella, but also for when you get out of show. TRUST ME you will be hungry and you do not want to wait in a 2 hour line at any fast food place from Coachella to Palm Springs.

discovietnam

03-22-2007, 08:38 AM

If you are wearing shoes, get some insoles and brand new socks. Your feet will thank you for it. Also, Festival Indian Food + Beer + Porta Potties = bad news bears. Plus it's like 9 bucks.

Tylerdurden31

03-22-2007, 08:52 AM

for the love of god eat something. First day in 04 I was completely naseous from dehydration and lack of food when we left. When I got some Del Taco in me I was right as rain.

This is probably too late of a warning. A hotel farther than 30 minutes is too far. Last year we stayed at a hotel in moreno valley. Took probably an hour. After being on your feet for 12 hours, you tend to get pretty tired. I almost passed out while driving back to the hotel. Could've killed my 3 friends.

Get the guacamole.

If you're not interested in any band in particular at a certain time, hang out in the beer garden or one of the tents.

Walkie talkies are better than cell phones...i'm hoping.

FromTheColonyOfBirchmen

03-22-2007, 09:06 AM

Mushrooms are better with Frozen Lemonade than burritos.

skavenbrew

03-22-2007, 10:37 AM

the Heineken Oasis tent is a god send.... nothing like having a cold beer in air conditioning at 2 pm when it's over 100 outside.....

amyzzz

03-22-2007, 11:29 AM

Hats will prevent sunburned ears or scalps.
Walkie Talkies are better than cell phones.
Re-apply sunscreen if you're in the sun and sweating a lot.
Try to find shade if you're watching a band during the day on the Main Stage or Outdoor Stage. You can find a little shade here and there, and it's nice.

roberto73

03-22-2007, 11:37 AM

I think I win the Most Obvious Lesson Learned Award: Make sure you have your wallet when you enter the Polo Grounds. Two years ago I left mine in the car and was stuck scrounging money off my girlfriend for the rest of the day. There's nothing quite like being my age and feeling like a 10-year-old kid asking his parents for money to buy a frozen lemonade.

inkwell

03-22-2007, 12:16 PM

Another mistake my friend and I made was getting sloshed at the beginning of the day. We downed an entire bottle of Skyy Vodka in the parking lot before entering the grounds at 11am. Probably a good reason why we lost each other around 1pm ;[

Needless to say we were dehydrated, luckily I had some water bottles with me to carry me through the day. PACE YOURSELF, having a beer or two at the onset is all good.. just to don't get blatantly inebriated.

BIRDYSANDFLOWERS

03-22-2007, 12:38 PM

I SAY EAT BEFORE YOU GO IN AND THEN WHEN YOU LEAVE BECAUSE THE FOOD SUCKS AND ITS WAY OVERPRICED. TAKE FRUIT FOR SNACKS. TRY AND AVOID THE RESTROOMS THEY ARE PRETTY GROSS AND IN BETWEEN THE BAND GO INTO THE SPONSORED TENTS LIKE KROQ AND THE AT&T TENT THEY ARE AIR CONDITIONED AND FEEL SOOO GOOD. ALSO BRING ALOT OF SUNSCREEN AND A COACHELLA HAT ( A HUGE SUN HAT) I GOT A SUNBURN LAST YEAR AND IT HURT SOOOOO BAD!!! SEE YOU THERE!! PEACE.

ediger

03-22-2007, 12:44 PM

I SAY EAT BEFORE YOU GO IN AND THEN WHEN YOU LEAVE BECAUSE THE FOOD SUCKS AND ITS WAY OVERPRICED. TAKE FRUIT FOR SNACKS. TRY AND AVOID THE RESTROOMS THEY ARE PRETTY GROSS AND IN BETWEEN THE BAND GO INTO THE SPONORED TENTS LIKE KROQ AND THE AT&T TENT THEY ARE AIR CONDITIONED AND FEEL SOOO GODD. ALSO BRING ALOT OF SUNSCREEN AND A COACHELLA HAT ( A HUGE SUN HAT) I GOT A SUNBURN LAST YEAR AND IT HURT SOOOOO BAD!!! SEE YOU THERE!! PEACE.

COOL! GOOD SUGGESTIONS.. THANK YOU VERY MUCH

fober

03-22-2007, 12:49 PM

I SAY EAT BEFORE YOU GO IN AND THEN WHEN YOU LEAVE BECAUSE THE FOOD SUCKS AND ITS WAY OVERPRICED. TAKE FRUIT FOR SNACKS. TRY AND AVOID THE RESTROOMS THEY ARE PRETTY GROSS AND IN BETWEEN THE BAND GO INTO THE SPONSORED TENTS LIKE KROQ AND THE AT&T TENT THEY ARE AIR CONDITIONED AND FEEL SOOO GOOD. ALSO BRING ALOT OF SUNSCREEN AND A COACHELLA HAT ( A HUGE SUN HAT) I GOT A SUNBURN LAST YEAR AND IT HURT SOOOOO BAD!!! SEE YOU THERE!! PEACE.

This reminds me.

Don't forget earplugs.

psychic friend

03-22-2007, 01:00 PM

LETS ALL TALK A LITTLE LOUDER. ALSO I DISAGREE ABOUT THE FOOD. THERE IS A LOT OF FOOD THERE THAT DOESN'T SUCK. THE BATHROOMS ARE BETTER THAN AT OTHER FESTIVALS I HAVE BEEN TO, JUST SAYIN

Foucault

03-22-2007, 01:06 PM

Remember that it can take as much as 30 minutes to get from Sahara to main stage, and vice versa. Moooo!

psychic friend

03-22-2007, 01:08 PM

30 minutes??? What?? If you are crawling maybe.

ToddThaGod

03-22-2007, 02:06 PM

i never know what to believe anymore on this board lol

rampaige

03-22-2007, 02:37 PM

Remember that it can take as much as 30 minutes to get from Sahara to main stage, and vice versa. Moooo!

It took us an hour last year! But we were tripping.

I'm betting that had something to do with it.

vinylmartyr

03-22-2007, 04:31 PM

Read this thread. People don't think enough about it.

http://coachella.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1418

joebizz

03-22-2007, 05:10 PM

Rule # 1: Write down the number on the balloon in the parking lot which you are located. You think you will remember, but you wont. We spent a 1/2 hour looking for the car the last 5 years.
Rule # 2: If you are with a mixed group, or with people you don't know so well, make sure you are grouped with people of similar musical tastes. This will cut down on argument time. What I do is print out a bunch of set times from Coachella.com right before we leave. Then, when you get to your hotel or tent, you can plan ahead, and find your coachella buddy. Nothing worse than arguing with a bunch of girls why Madonna sucks, and they had to experience Mogwai. Wasted almost a third of their set trying to convince them. Spent the rest of the night alone. But it was worth it, dammit!
Rule# 3: I cannot stress this enough. Limit your partying the nights before! I know it's tempting when you get to your hotel, or wherever you are staying, but keep it mellow! I had a HARD time maintaining the first day last year. Well to be honest, the first day of the last 5 years, but I am actually going to at least TRY this year. Older and wiser, I suppose. Plus, being that it's 3 days, I need to be in prime mental health for Rage!
Rule #4: Take breaks from the action to cool down.
Actually, scratch that. Too much good music.
Hope this helps.

Boourns

03-22-2007, 09:03 PM

30 minutes??? What?? If you are crawling maybe.

Maybe 5 minutes at noon when nobody's around, but at night I'd say at least 15, because fatigue has kicked in, and you have to navigate through tens of thousands of people. As for 30 minutes? Damn. I can only imagine it takes that long if someone leaves from the front of the crowd at the main stage.

Boourns

03-22-2007, 09:11 PM

As for food, you usually can judge a book by it's cover. If you are curious about trying something, see if you can steal a look at what someone in front of you in line just bought. If it looks like crap, it probably is. I know it seems obvious but I'm sure I'm not the only one who made the mistake of getting bad food before, when it could have been avoided.

And if you want pizza, go for one of the places that sells huge slices, like Spicy Pie or the New York place they had last year, instead of generic round, personal pizzas. They taste better.

ATM's are available, but fees are high and lines are long. Just empty out your account before arriving. You'll need every cent.

summerkid

03-23-2007, 11:15 AM

30 minutes??? What?? If you are crawling maybe.

I think they mean at the end. Like last year after Daft Punk we were waiting to get to the exit for a long, long time almost 30 minutes I would think.

TheGuvna

03-23-2007, 03:40 PM

Get your band/Coachella merch asap, otherwise you'll end up with some stickers and a size XXXL shirt. And don't forget to bring a small bag to carry your stuff.

Coachillin

03-23-2007, 07:31 PM

Even if you're not drinking until later in the day, get your wristband as soon as possible.

jimmycrackcorn

03-23-2007, 08:30 PM

Even if you're not drinking until later in the day, get your wristband as soon as possible.

this is GREAT advice...

chiapet

03-23-2007, 08:55 PM

On sore feet: as ugly as they are, walking socks make a big difference when you're walking/standing for 12 hours a day (better cushioning and handling of heat/moisture). I also seem to always get blisters on my heels, so I preventatively bandage them. Compeed makes wonderful heel pads, unfortunately I don't think they sell them in the US :/

CherokeeMel

03-23-2007, 11:12 PM

How necissary are shoes?

eefeef

03-24-2007, 12:49 AM

How necissary are shoes?

Shoes are not necessary, but as some of the previous posts mentioned they're probably a very good idea for the following reasons:
- dirty/dusty
- stray rocks or garbage on the ground
- your feet will get stepped on, especially at night or in crowded tents
- on the off chance it happens, stepping on a discarded lit cigarette probably will ruin the festival for you

Oh yeah... I wouldn't want to go into a porta-potty barefoot.

Courtney

03-24-2007, 02:25 AM

Oh yeah... I wouldn't want to go into a porta-potty barefoot.

Ewww.

Plus, arch support, if you're in the group of people who need such things.

amyzzz

03-24-2007, 05:59 AM

On sore feet: as ugly as they are, walking socks make a big difference when you're walking/standing for 12 hours a day (better cushioning and handling of heat/moisture). I also seem to always get blisters on my heels, so I preventatively bandage them. Compeed makes wonderful heel pads, unfortunately I don't think they sell them in the US :/
REI has hiking socks. I'm planning to buy a couple pairs.

inkwell

03-26-2007, 12:24 PM

Even if you're not drinking until later in the day, get your wristband as soon as possible.

Great advice. If you're going to be there for multiple days, keep your wrist band on the entire weekend so you don't have to wait in the looong lines multiple times!

SFChrissy

03-26-2007, 12:27 PM

take a picture of where your parked...last year was the first year I lost the car...it took us over an hour to find it...

SFChrissy

03-26-2007, 12:29 PM

Shoes are not necessary, but as some of the previous posts mentioned they're probably a very good idea for the following reasons:
- dirty/dusty
- stray rocks or garbage on the ground
- your feet will get stepped on, especially at night or in crowded tents
- on the off chance it happens, stepping on a discarded lit cigarette probably will ruin the festival for you

Oh yeah... I wouldn't want to go into a porta-potty barefoot.

You forgot that the grass can get hot enough to burn the hell out of the bottom of your feet!!!

algunz

03-26-2007, 03:41 PM

sunblock - reapply, reapply, and reapply

momof5

03-26-2007, 03:52 PM

I think the food is pretty good and I cannot imagine walking and dancing for 12 hours without food! Good walking shoes a very important part of the experience.Also food again after you leave--the first few years there was nothing open between the festival site andPalm Springs--its like they rolled up the sidewalks at 10 pm--we had to eat from the mini bar the first year and now only stay at hotels with late room service. Also sometimes very dark at night stepping on people but this year I checked and we are in luck it will be almost a full moon!

joppy-slow

03-26-2007, 03:53 PM

cooo. im going to look into getting some comfy socks and a mini flash light so I dont step on needles again, jk, i meant to say peeples..
and don't forget the hoody (for night night when the temp drops in the desert) and the portable babywipes.. any suggestions on what to eat there and what not to eat..???? wonder if they choose the same vendors? fuqing 31 more days.. it cant come quick enough....arggggggg

moooo

03-27-2007, 12:29 AM

Camping: Earplugs and early arrival

Lines: Someone bring beer

Mushrooms: Not in the sun, kids.

Shade: A long sleeve white shirt and lifeguard hat are best.

Sleep: Optional

Overnight parking: Totally do-able. Just don't let your little brother die in the car and expect there to be a coachella next year.

And most importantly, bring lots of money $$$

again, MO-NEY

Boourns

03-27-2007, 12:39 AM

Great advice. If you're going to be there for multiple days, keep your wrist band on the entire weekend so you don't have to wait in the looong lines multiple times!

It's best to get this at camp because the lines once inside the festival are horribly long all the time. I can't imagine actually caring enough to wait in such a line, really. I've never BOUGHT alcohol at Coachella.

Gyrus

03-27-2007, 08:38 PM

This thread is priceless, lovin it guys!

Dickinabox

03-28-2007, 10:35 AM

If youre camping, leave a flap open or put some of the heavy luggage on the corners of the tent to prevent it from collapsing and/or blowing wildly in the wind.

When it's late at night and you don't have the daylight to help you set up a tent, it helps so much to have a flashlight. Also, bring a tarp or something to drag all your stuff around with when you are entering the camping grounds for the first time. Unfortunately last year me and my friends didn't think about that and when the campground were opening up Friday we had to drag all of our stuff one by one as the lines progressed, it was embarrassing if not exhausting.

The food at the campground and on the site is mediocre, but there is Ralph's just a short drive away, so make sure to frequent that place before the shows if you wake up early enough.

luveebunni08

03-28-2007, 01:29 PM

if you're going with a group don't be the doormat.
don't worry yourself with being attached to someone all day to not be alone. if you want to see something different either compromise or split up and make plans for later.

the schedules come out before the festival. MAKE PLANS. save yourself the headache of last minute thinkers by making them plan ahead.

Daft Fro

03-28-2007, 05:51 PM

- Get band T-Shirts early, some sell out, especially popular sizes (popularity in size is sometimes based on the band, lol...)

- Bring wads of cash, ATMs suck, and again are just another line to wait in.

- Get beer garden wristband asap if you plan on drinking at all. On-site campers can jump the gun on it and get theirs Thurs. night before Friday at the garden on the camp grounds.

- See every fucking band you are able to see. Like luveebunni08 said, don't let whoever you're with hold you back/drag you off. You don't want to regret wasting your time at all, but with this year's lineup more spread out over 3 days, it should be less frantic.

- Get a lot of rest the week before Coachella, seriously. Especially if you are camping on-site, because we all know how the heat fucking wakes you up lol.

- Don't bring shit you don't need inside, you won't want to be carrying a lot. Just map out your necessities, and think about how you will probably be spending your time.

- If you need to get close for a band you really want to see, get there early just to be safe. (How early depends on the act obivously) Even if it means seeing a few bands you haven't heard of, odds are they will be pretty good :)

Best advice I could give, just make the most out of your experience @ Coachella!

Michelle

03-28-2007, 06:19 PM

take a picture of where your parked...last year was the first year I lost the car...it took us over an hour to find it...

haha, good idea! i can find where i parked. last year i swear to god we were walking for an hour to the car. we must of being walking in circles or i was beyond exhausted from daft punk. probably both.

Michelle

03-28-2007, 06:21 PM

if you're going with a group don't be the doormat.
don't worry yourself with being attached to someone all day to not be alone. if you want to see something different either compromise or split up and make plans for later.

the schedules come out before the festival. MAKE PLANS. save yourself the headache of last minute thinkers by making them plan ahead.

agreed completely. i don't think my friends and i hardly saw any of the shows together. and we all ended up with wonderful stories and experiences to share.

rage patton

03-28-2007, 07:59 PM

Thanks for the car picture idea. Thats actually not a bad idea.
Do campers have a special parking lot?

becomingcloser

03-29-2007, 07:05 AM

a half ounce of the stickiest pot i could find is WAY too much for a two day festival for one friend and myself.

"Also, bring a tarp or something to drag all your stuff around with when you are entering the camping grounds for the first time. Unfortunately last year me and my friends didn't think about that and when the campground were opening up Friday we had to drag all of our stuff one by one as the lines progressed, it was embarrassing if not exhausting"

excellent tip.. will do..

smoke

03-29-2007, 02:08 PM

if you are going to be there all day, i reccomend bringing asprin. last year the heat plus walking around all day, and the beats from the sahara tent gave me a thumping headache.

there is a general store that sells medicine, lighters, condoms, etc...but i would suggest bringing in your own.

edit: actually. go ahead.
So that didn't work for you? I'm curious now.

Courtney

03-30-2007, 02:32 PM

Remember to bring hair elastics (if you have long hair). It's good to have the option of putting up your hair.

dontfeedthebird

04-03-2007, 01:23 AM

Remember to bring hair elastics (if you have long hair). It's good to have the option of putting up your hair.

I hope you girls have started your deep conditioning treatments. The sun's gonna be hell on your hair.

JClemy

04-03-2007, 08:07 AM

My hair is going nice and short before the show. I know there was a thread about tarps to put over the tents but it kind of degraded into jokes. This thread seems more helpful. Has anyone tried put tarps over their tents to get some shade?

Facelift

04-03-2007, 08:31 AM

great thread.
did anybody get in trouble for trying to sneak something in?
and do you get searched when going into the camping ground?

Facelift

04-03-2007, 08:51 AM

oh yeah, dont wear a black tshirt.

becomingcloser

04-05-2007, 07:16 AM

So that didn't work for you? I'm curious now.

well, i think i was pretty dehydrated from the day. it worked quite well until i passed out.

Shyeviolett

04-09-2007, 12:38 PM

Don't drop E and A together at 5 pm because there's still several hours of desert sun left and even though the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at dusk will be amazing, Sleater Kinney will hurt you badly and you'll end up running around like a dehydrated madman during Massive Attack.

LMFOA. Niiiiceeeee.

Shyeviolett

04-09-2007, 12:38 PM

My hair is going nice and short before the show. I know there was a thread about tarps to put over the tents but it kind of degraded into jokes. This thread seems more helpful. Has anyone tried put tarps over their tents to get some shade?

Check the "how to make shade happen" thread in camping.

PassiveTheory

04-09-2007, 01:40 PM

So, what I'm understanding is, once checked in to the campground, you Can leave the campground, before or after the festival, to go get food? Or do you have to hit the Ralphs as Dickinabox mentioned before the festival?

Shyeviolett

04-09-2007, 02:05 PM

So, what I'm understanding is, once checked in to the campground, you Can leave the campground, before or after the festival, to go get food? Or do you have to hit the Ralphs as Dickinabox mentioned before the festival?

You can leave the campgrounds whenever you want....but its a pain in the ass to re-park.

fatbastard

01-18-2008, 11:13 AM

I wonder if a cab from the hotel to the event would work?

jenniferrrae

01-18-2008, 12:16 PM

potato salad has uber carbs = excellent breakfast, line food
don't ever expect to agree with the people you came with on which bands to see all day. it's fun to wander around by yourself sometimes, and definitly not as stressful as trying to keep a group together once the grounds are packed.
oh and remember that nothing is going to go the way you planned it to. at all

Melanie.Dawn

01-18-2008, 01:23 PM

We are bringing walkie talkies... I think it will solve a lot of potential problems, dissappointments and arguments.

amyzzz

01-18-2008, 01:32 PM

We did that in 06 with some good results, but since then we lost the walkie talkies. The thing is, we thought we didn't need them last year because we thought we'd stay together all weekend, but there were a couple of times we lost each other, and my husband's phone died.

meyouseek

01-18-2008, 01:58 PM

gak + desert = bad

carokube

01-18-2008, 02:08 PM

i have a lesson for you all... don't leave your stuff on the table while the security guard is patting you down. i did this last year, and some guy, who i'm guessing was high and was concerned about the people finding his stash, grabbed my favorite tool t-shirt and walked off, but i couldn't follow him cause i was being patted down. i kept yelling 'that guy just took my shirt!' but no one cared and he walked off and when i finally got past the ticket takers i couldn't find him :(

but then later someone offered to pay me 40$ for my ten dollar sunglasses and i was like hell yeah here take these shitty things

Rod Barajas

01-18-2008, 03:28 PM

Skip on the frozen lemonade and stick to water

RedThom

01-18-2008, 04:38 PM

Never buy a girl you like tickets to coachella, if there is no foreseeable future.

zing on me.

Rod Barajas

01-18-2008, 04:39 PM

Never buy a girl you like tickets to coachella, if there is no foreseeable future.

zing on me.

Unless her giving up the goods is a prerequisite to attendance...This scenario is always a sad one...

Kali27

01-18-2008, 05:57 PM

walkie-talkies are awesome for groups or a few friends...

shinymoonrobot

01-20-2008, 08:29 PM

Never buy a girl you like tickets to coachella, if there is no foreseeable future.

zing on me.

On that note, never go with a guy you randomly met at another concert, and believe him when he says he 'lost' his wallet. I had to pay for everything.

Don't forget where you parked your car.

Wander around and dance like crazy all by yourself. I had the best time spazzing out all alone.

oddlockset

01-20-2008, 09:33 PM

"On that note, never go with a guy you randomly met at another concert, and believe him when he says he 'lost' his wallet. I had to pay for everything."

I think I win the Most Obvious Lesson Learned Award: Make sure you have your wallet when you enter the Polo Grounds. Two years ago I left mine in the car and was stuck scrounging money off my girlfriend for the rest of the day. There's nothing quite like being my age and feeling like a 10-year-old kid asking his parents for money to buy a frozen lemonade.

Hmm...

tripcalifornia

01-20-2008, 10:49 PM

We did that in 06 with some good results, but since then we lost the walkie talkies. The thing is, we thought we didn't need them last year because we thought we'd stay together all weekend, but there were a couple of times we lost each other, and my husband's phone died.

A few years ago I was at an event like this and when my boyfriend and I tried to get a hold of eachother over our walkie talkies we only got through about 1/2 the time, most of the time I would get responses from other random people who also had walkie talkies there. Did this happen to you? If there's a way around the problem I had, I think it's a great idea and would give it another go...

tripcalifornia

01-20-2008, 11:07 PM

This is the most helpful thread on this board in my opinion! Hooray for this thread :)

artifacts

01-21-2008, 12:53 AM

Last year was my first Coachella and I learned a lot.

I learned you never correct the intrepid Bjork fan yelling "BORK! BORK" (like fork but with a b)

I didn't actually correct him...but I thought about it. I'm glad I didn't.
It was engaging.

parray

01-21-2008, 01:57 AM

If you're camping remember and bring a torch, me and a mate flew over form Scotland last year and bought a tent and sleeping bags on the Thursday, but forgot to buy a torch, trying to pitch a tent at midnight using the light from our mobiles was one of those memorable things for the wrong reason.

Make friends with your neighbours

If you're going to the WillCall queue take some bottles of water with you.

Get your drinking wristband early, as people have said.

gmoneyak

01-21-2008, 02:08 AM

I learned that bringing my own schedule each day was the best thing i could've done... You plan who you want to see each day in order, and figure out exactly when to break away from one show for another.. It's easy to snag prime spots when you show up right when the previous show has ended..

Also, Portuguese girls that are into Spank Rock are down for whatever..

altaz

01-21-2008, 03:42 AM

If you're camping remember and bring a torch, me and a mate flew over form Scotland last year and bought a tent and sleeping bags on the Thursday, but forgot to buy a torch, trying to pitch a tent at midnight using the light from our mobiles was one of those memorable things for the wrong reason.

Make friends with your neighbours

If you're going to the WillCall queue take some bottles of water with you.

Get your drinking wristband early, as people have said.

Quick question,

Was it easy to buy the tent equipment over there? I am gunna be going around NZ in a tour bus, before going to Coachella, and didnt want to be lugging a tent around with me the whole trip.

parray

01-21-2008, 03:53 AM

Quick question,

Was it easy to buy the tent equipment over there? I am gunna be going around NZ in a tour bus, before going to Coachella, and didnt want to be lugging a tent around with me the whole trip.

It was pretty easy, although we flew into Vegas first, we drove around looking for a WalMart but found a place called the Sports Authority, bought a pretty good tent and two sleeping bags.
It'll probably be a bit harder to find one in Indio due to the festival, but if you plan ahead you should be fine.

emtgreg

01-21-2008, 06:10 AM

Also, Portuguese girls that are into Spank Rock are down for whatever..

edited to:

Also, girls that are into Spank Rock are down for whatever...

fixed :)

shinymoonrobot

01-21-2008, 10:06 AM

"On that note, never go with a guy you randomly met at another concert, and believe him when he says he 'lost' his wallet. I had to pay for everything."

Quote:
Originally Posted by roberto73 View Post
I think I win the Most Obvious Lesson Learned Award: Make sure you have your wallet when you enter the Polo Grounds. Two years ago I left mine in the car and was stuck scrounging money off my girlfriend for the rest of the day. There's nothing quite like being my age and feeling like a 10-year-old kid asking his parents for money to buy a frozen lemonade.
Hmm...
Hmm...

Hahaha. Maybe that's what that guy felt like, but roberto73 was def. not him. This guy 'lost' his wallet after he jumped the fence to get in...that should have been a forewarning.

So, never go with someone who is too cheap to buy thier own ticket, and instead jumps the fence. They will also drive like a demon and mess up your car. He got stopped for a speeding ticket on the way back....so hilarious.

Vet the random people you decide to go with before-hand!!! I'm too trusting for my own good :dumbo

Failed State

01-21-2008, 01:05 PM

#49

Failed State

01-21-2008, 01:06 PM

and #50!!!
thank you board... i picked this thread after careful consideration

smoke

01-21-2008, 01:41 PM

maybe a repeat, but i didnt read the whole thing

be SPECIFIC on your meeting location. don't say, "lets meet at that big piece of art that looks like a sword, but is really a fountain". EVERYONE else will pick that same spot, and it will be chaos trying to meet.

artifacts

01-21-2008, 01:46 PM

maybe a repeat, but i didnt read the whole thing

be SPECIFIC on your meeting location. don't say, "lets meet at that big piece of art that looks like a sword, but is really a fountain". EVERYONE else will pick that same spot, and it will be chaos trying to meet.

Definitley.
Example:
I didn't do this, but the spider last year was probably not an ideal place.
Neither were the Twins sculptures.

In the long run, it's pretty tricky to find a good place, but possible.

Jakewc151

01-22-2008, 10:07 PM

Don't carpool to the event with a bunch of people you don't know, unless you know atleast one of them is going to be sober for the drive back to the hotel/house etc..

Last year took a car on Sunday with a bunch of kids from Iowa who were on a bunch of psychedelics (along with myself).. Later that night after Rage played we spent over three hours looking for the car because no one knew where it was.. Ahhh!

lostsoul86

01-23-2008, 12:38 AM

lessons learned well DONT GET DRUNK BEFORe you Even Go inside the Concert! ya last year me and my buddys went out there for all 3 days and we were so drunk on friday we were drinking since like 7 AM . and well we start drinking in the parking lot around 11 and well about 1 we said lets go inside the concert and so we get to the entrance and theres a huge freaking line and for some dumb reason we decided fuck that wait for the line to die down .. (later i heard that the long line was for age 21 and over wrist bands .. not sure if thats true ) but ya man its me and 2 of my friends and we were allll drunk and it was hot me and one of my friends ended up sleeping on some side walk on the parking lot and my other friend dissapeard i tried to call him but he never answerd his phone but ya ants were all biting me and my friend next to me was comepletly asleep! and well for some dumb reason we ended up driving back to the motel room which was Across the street from that RITE AID but we drove back without my other friend cause we couldnt find him . when we get to the room we just fall asleep. and well next thing i know its night time 9:40 PM and theres someone pounding on the door for my motel room... it was my friend that we couldnt find lol and man he was MAD! Oh i forgot to mention the car that we took was HIS new car lol so ya i was there arguing with him for 10 minutes he literally packed his shit and started to leave . BUT! as fucked up as that is . its not entirely our fault that dude told us before the concert started if i dissapear its because im hanging out with my other friends so i figured he was out with them. apparently he said he fell asleep under some palm tree in the grass parking lot and when he woke up he called us but since we were asleep i never heard my phone ring . and ya he said he reported his car stolen WHICH I STILL THINK IS BULLSHIT but ya after 10 minutes of arguing we ended up actually going to the concert but it pissed me off cause i missed Julieta venegas and i missed interpol ..all because we drank tooo much before we even got into the concert..sooo what ur drinking guys .. dont be an idiot like me and miss a whole day worth of music i missed everything i say like 10 minutes of bjork and said fuck this shit

smoke

01-23-2008, 01:59 AM

so basically: don't act like a jackass, and learn how to handle your shit.

solid advice.

guest-1185

01-23-2008, 02:03 AM

Are you drunk now?

guest-1185

01-23-2008, 02:08 AM

More to the point though...

When camping, I found you can drive into town in the morning with ease. Just come back at around 10:30-11am before the masses start to show up and you'll be able to find parking in the camping lot no worries.

I only tried this on Sunday last year and holy fucking god did it make passing the morning hours in sooooo much more comfortable. By day three you really start to appreciate the little luxuries in life like air conditioning and a sit down (not sitting in grass) meal.

lostsoul86

01-23-2008, 02:18 AM

Are you drunk now?

i actually am drunk right now and to the other dude ya guess the moral of the story is handle ur shit ..

TheGuvna

01-23-2008, 07:06 AM

Don't bother with the over-21 wristband line outside the venue; this line is always waaaay toooo long.

There are more places to get your wristband once you are inside.

BeeII

01-23-2008, 09:10 AM

maybe a repeat, but i didnt read the whole thing

be SPECIFIC on your meeting location. don't say, "lets meet at that big piece of art that looks like a sword, but is really a fountain". EVERYONE else will pick that same spot, and it will be chaos trying to meet.

or at "the ting shooting fire" when there's more than one thing shooting fire.

Don't wear Sandals in though all of the sand... it will be hot going barefoot....
but I got blisters from the sand kicking up... and couldn't wear them the rest of the day...

so put them on when you get into the grass and your feet will be cleaned by the grass...

buy water when you first get in... and buy like 3 so you don't have to wait in lines...

eat two meals... and keep drinking...

brin face wipes... so you can wipe the sweat off and re-apply sun tan lotion

don't get towards the front for a header... you will get crushed...

STAY AWAY from people in wheel chairs... they use it as an excuse to get up in the front... and THEY WILL run you over

BillyCrystal

01-25-2008, 12:57 PM

unless you plan on trying to get really close to the main stage, wear a pair on really cheap flip-flops that you can take off and carry around in your back pocket. bare feet in the empire polo fields grass...sweet...

BillyCrystal

01-25-2008, 12:58 PM

also, this sounds like a joke, but seriously:

if you can, soak your underwear in really cold water before going into the fest. I've done this a few times, and it's amazing for beating the heat.

BillyCrystal

01-25-2008, 01:01 PM

one more:

if you don't have a place to stay and can't get a camping ticket: last year, me and my friends just slept in our car in the festival parking lot. we stayed in the car, parked all night, and no one told us to move or anything.

BROKENDOLL

01-25-2008, 01:06 PM

also, this sounds like a joke, but seriously:

if you can, soak your underwear in really cold water before going into the fest. I've done this a few times, and it's amazing for beating the heat.
You could also just start your day dancing to afew sets in the Sahara for the same effect without losing your balls...Oh, wait...Dancin' in the Sahara? Nope, still may lose your balls!

BROKENDOLL

01-25-2008, 01:07 PM

one more:

if you don't have a place to stay and can't get a camping ticket: last year, me and my friends just slept in our car in the festival parking lot. we stayed in the car, parked all night, and no one told us to move or anything.
With this advice, you may also end up losing your car, my friend.

kreutz2112

01-25-2008, 01:09 PM

no pants for me. i friggin died last year.

and then i came back to life for this years fest.

yo kimery where the hell are you?

Death

01-25-2008, 03:16 PM

If you are onsite camping, get yourself one of these or one like it. It will save your life. Carrying your shit from the parking lot to your camping site will be a breeze. Plus, you can push your friends around on Monday morning smashing styrofoam coolers with a bent flag pole on your way out. That is fun as hell.

emtgreg

01-25-2008, 03:34 PM

it was mentioned at the beginning of this thread...but the scalpers are kinda helpful,

i used them as mules for my shit..."hey wanna make 20 bucks?"

MarkO

01-25-2008, 05:59 PM

I highly recommend under armour or similar tees to wick away the sweat.

gmoneyak

01-26-2008, 02:31 AM

Take everything that you consume in Moderation!!!..

marfawkah02

01-26-2008, 08:56 AM

Another mistake my friend and I made was getting sloshed at the beginning of the day. We downed an entire bottle of Skyy Vodka in the parking lot before entering the grounds at 11am. Probably a good reason why we lost each other around 1pm ;[

Needless to say we were dehydrated, luckily I had some water bottles with me to carry me through the day. PACE YOURSELF, having a beer or two at the onset is all good.. just to don't get blatantly inebriated.

loL, yeah . get drunk . but dont get PLASTERED! a bag of water is the way to go too . other than that, for SURE pace yourself .

kingz10fan

01-26-2008, 11:50 AM

i havent seen this mentioned yet but is it true you are allowed to bring in 2 containers of unopened water? me and my friends ran into a few people bringing in giant jugs of water and we had never heard of this before

frozen pilgrim

01-26-2008, 12:52 PM

now that I've secured my large locker for coachella, I can openly urge others to do the same.
www.lockersonline.com

it was a frickin godsend last year- especially because it offered a secure location for the stuff we didn't want to leave in our tent- passports, plane tickets, cash, etc.

not to mention the obvious benefit of not having to carry anything around with you (save for the obligatory bottle of water).

beltanegoddess

01-26-2008, 02:48 PM

Thank you very much! I'm new to Coachella and most of what I've read so far has been pretty helpful, but this is the first bit of advice I was able to immediately take advantage of. I just finished reserving a small locker for two of us online. Thanks again.

frozen pilgrim

01-26-2008, 02:54 PM

no problem!

giving this thread to the old bump to remind everyone again to reserve an effing locker. be one of the chosen few who are spared the hindrance of carrying around a backpack for 8-12 hoursx3 days.
www.lockersonline.com

ivankay

01-26-2008, 03:22 PM

A lot of people lose their cameras. If your's is digital, have the first picture you take be of your contact infomation (number, email, ect). That way the friend who is psychic can relax her abilities and just call you when the lost an found process begins after the event. Better yet, you might get a phone call from someone who found your camera while Coachella is still going on.

Cdubby

01-26-2008, 03:52 PM

I learned that bringing my own schedule each day was the best thing i could've done... You plan who you want to see each day in order, and figure out exactly when to break away from one show for another.. It's easy to snag prime spots when you show up right when the previous show has ended..

Also, Portuguese girls that are into Spank Rock are down for whatever..

This is the best advice ever, thank you.

Blinken

02-20-2008, 04:05 PM

This thread helped me out alot last year. I learned that shrooms pressed into chocolate don't melt in 100 plus degree heat, wierd. I frooze them the day before and the stayed wraped up in a jacket in a black backpack until 5pm. They were a little flexible but that was all.

thelastgreatman

02-20-2008, 04:34 PM

I really don't think you have to limit it to Portugese girls when you're at a Spank Rock show. At least 75 percent of those girls are down for whatever. But being Portugese certainly helps.

Brazilian girls at Spank Rock, on the other hand, will probably be so down you'll feel gay by comparison.

gmoneyak

02-20-2008, 11:44 PM

DoEfwHRjzig

Their little blond friend ended up cock-blocking me that night...

ZackQ

02-22-2008, 06:52 PM

Eat a lot early in the day, so you don't miss awesome sets later.

tripcalifornia

02-22-2008, 08:10 PM

A lot of people lose their cameras. If your's is digital, have the first picture you take be of your contact infomation (number, email, ect). That way the friend who is psychic can relax her abilities and just call you when the lost an found process begins after the event. Better yet, you might get a phone call from someone who found your camera while Coachella is still going on.

THIS is the most golden advice ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I lost my phone at Coachella '06 and when I got my next phone I took a pic of my boyfriend's (we live together) name and number with a "If found, please contact:" heading and have it as my phone's wallpaper. Haven't lost my phone yet to see how well it works :)

Sonicifyouwantit

02-22-2008, 08:29 PM

Eat a lot early in the day, so you don't miss awesome sets later.

agreed I usually will eat a big burrito or something in town and usually forget to eat at the fest because Im too busy running around realizing at 11pm, I didnt eat.

THIS is the most golden advice ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I lost my phone at Coachella '06 and when I got my next phone I took a pic of my boyfriend's (we live together) name and number with a "If found, please contact:" heading and have it as my phone's wallpaper. Haven't lost my phone yet to see how well it works :)

ok so if the person wanted to return your phone why wouldnt they just call someone on your address book, such as HOME, MOM, or anyone of your friends in your cell phones memory??

it does however apply to cameras because you cant access any phone numbers on it.

A friend told me one of his friends did this exact same thing and had to leave except I think he was on ecstacy and said he had to leave because it was too overwhelming.

Wheres the beef?

02-26-2008, 06:31 PM

THIS is the most golden advice ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I lost my phone at Coachella '06 and when I got my next phone I took a pic of my boyfriend's (we live together) name and number with a "If found, please contact:" heading and have it as my phone's wallpaper. Haven't lost my phone yet to see how well it works :)

Mine says if lost call ***-***-**** whenever you turn the phone on. Just a little bit easier I think.

apachedino

02-29-2008, 06:24 PM

i havent seen this mentioned yet but is it true you are allowed to bring in 2 containers of unopened water? me and my friends ran into a few people bringing in giant jugs of water and we had never heard of this before

That was me, probably, we carried 2 gallon jugs of water to the line not really expecting to get them in, but what the hell. Of course the security dude said no, and I asked him to at least let me dump it out on my head and began doing so.

It takes a hella long time to pour that much water out so I just walked into the fest while pouring and still had enough water to drink and pour on myself for the rest of the day.

Lesson Learned, repeat all 3 days. Save $80 on water.

apachedino

02-29-2008, 06:25 PM

The year before we did the same thing, but instead of taking them into the show we just shouted out "Who wants water poured on their head" a line quickly formed and thirty people later we were out.

kingz10fan

03-03-2008, 10:25 AM

The year before we did the same thing, but instead of taking them into the show we just shouted out "Who wants water poured on their head" a line quickly formed and thirty people later we were out.

thanks i'll def. be doin that this year

silentsipher

03-13-2008, 07:52 PM

A lot of people have been suggesting to see every band you can possibly see, but I think its important to spend some time wandering around and exploring the Coachella fields. There's a lot of interesting stuff to see, especially if no one you know or care for is playing.

JClemy

03-13-2008, 07:59 PM

A lot of people have been suggesting to see every band you can possibly see, but I think its important to spend some time wandering around and exploring the Coachella fields. There's a lot of interesting stuff to see, especially if no one you know or care for is playing.

This is so true. You might miss a good band or two but it's pretty sweet checking everything out. Also the bikes that charge your cell phones suck. Don't ride them. Most of them don't work(Or I found they didn't) and 5 minutes in the heat on the bike trying to charge your cell is just stupid.

Catwwings

04-05-2008, 11:53 AM

Also worthwhile, PRESENTS. last year my boyfriend gave out little plastic gold fish. i have mini lights and glowy thingys to doll out. so next year when that dishy little red head finds me again and slaps my ass and runs off of giggling, i'll have something fun to give her for it. and maybe she'll stick around a little longer.

whynotsmile99

04-05-2008, 02:19 PM

don't worry about planning your schedules to an exact time. I did that the last two years and will certainly do that again, just because I'm obsessive and it's fun, but when you get there throw caution to the wind and just do what you feel like. There are so many bands I wanted to see but missed last year, mostly because I was seeing someone I had no idea I was interested in seeing, or because I was in a different mood.

Damien Rice was high on my list last year, but I missed him. I felt like dancing instead of listening to a singer songwriter. Go with your instinct on how you feel at that moment and everything will play out in the end.

Saying "we'll I'll check out 15 minutes of so and so, take 20 minutes to eat and walk across the field, check out so and so for 45 minutes and then run to blah blah blah blah blah" will just make you insane.

squandith

04-06-2008, 12:48 PM

So if you have a few bucks to spare...like 50 of them...the lockers on site aren't a bad investment....especially if you're with a group. Although the price is a bit steep, it's nice to not have to lug things around all weekend. A good place to stash some merch, cameras, and perhaps a small child. Ok, maybe not the child...but for all the other things it worked out pretty well for me last year.

BlackSteve0

04-13-2008, 11:22 PM

This thread is the best.

Thank you to all who contributed.

whynotsmile99

04-14-2008, 12:28 AM

So if you have a few bucks to spare...like 50 of them...the lockers on site aren't a bad investment....especially if you're with a group. Although the price is a bit steep, it's nice to not have to lug things around all weekend. A good place to stash some merch, cameras, and perhaps a small child. Ok, maybe not the child...but for all the other things it worked out pretty well for me last year.

yea totally agree, I love being able to walk around with nothing at night. I would stick with the medium one as well. Thats the smallest they get and you really don't need to get any bigger. I fit my back pack and friends shit in there no problem. its 50 bucks, but 20 you get back. Split it with a friend or two and its so, so worth it. Plus its a great place to meet up.

Gyrus

04-14-2008, 01:14 AM

when someone asks you to bend over and pick something up.... always watch your back

guest-1185

04-14-2008, 02:17 AM

If drinking during the day, moderation and pacing are KEY!

And budget at least $20/day for water and gatorade.

Stefinitely Maybe

04-14-2008, 07:30 AM

I agree with everything everyone has said, but I would also add this: take a small (handtowel size) towel, and drape it over your shoulders, around the back of your neck. This will serve three purposes over the day:

1. Stops your neck from burning.
2. Means you can wipe sweat / sunscreen off your face and arms whenever you need to, instead of getting all gross.
3. Most importantly - dip the towel into the cold water in the bathrooms, or even ask the people at the drinks stalls to give you some ice / cold water to soak it in (they always do) and THEN put it on your back, and this will instantly cool you down, even at the hottest times of the day. I had REALLY bad sunstroke when we first got into the festival site, in 2004, and a few minutes in the shade and an ice cold towel around my neck sorted me out real fast. Seriously, I cannot reccommend this enough.

ninjakiyoko

04-14-2008, 08:25 AM

If you drive to the event every day, buy some helium-filled mylar balloons at a grocery store and tie them to your car so you can find it. The people in neighboring cars will thank you, too.

Bring a plastic bag (or a few, they can get gross after a while) to collect water bottles in. The best time to collect them from the ground is at the end of an act when everyone is leaving. The bottle exchange system is amazing; it saved me lots of money last year, and I drank a lot more water than I would have if I'd had to pay for it. (There are a few water fountains on site, but they're inconvenient and the lines are ridiculous, so refilling isn't a great option.)

The security people took my ball-point pen and inspected my Tylenol, but didn't find those things I'd made an effort to conceal...

Drinking isn't worth the money or the trouble. Take drugs instead.

Buy 3 of those $3.99 straw hats at the grocery store. Each day, wear one and throw it away when the sun goes down, so you won't have to carry it.

Leaving 30 minutes early will save you at least an hour of exit traffic (both the herd of people and the line of cars).

Mainstage can really suck. My view of Bjork was so bad that I went to see another show of hers later. Instead, spend some time in the smaller tents and hear someone new (Last year's winner for me: Cornelius, in the Gobe tent).

Bring condoms.

And seriously, don't wear flip-flops. Wearing flip-flops is obviously stupid and I won't feel bad if I accidentally step on you, thereby causing your "shoe" to come off of your foot and get lost in the turbulent crowd.

Also, the roads around Empire Polo Field are saturated with cops, and they do NOT like it when you ghost ride the whip.

jigglypuflvr@mac.com

04-14-2008, 10:49 AM

i'm bringing everything i need in a 12X12 camo bag and a fanny pack. lesson learned last year was that 12X12 camo bags limit your drug use to what can fit in there, and i'm bringing short-shorts and a scarf extra.

YUM! happy trails!

Sonicifyouwantit

04-14-2008, 12:05 PM

dont be afraid to wander, dont feel you have to stick through a bands full set...split up your set times unless you are a major fan. you will see and hear so much more.

Robosexual

04-14-2008, 01:42 PM

I learned not to leave your tickets in San Diego. You might lose your only chance to see the Pixies.

whynotsmile99

04-14-2008, 02:52 PM

I agree with everything everyone has said, but I would also add this: take a small (handtowel size) towel, and drape it over your shoulders, around the back of your neck. This will serve three purposes over the day:

1. Stops your neck from burning.
2. Means you can wipe sweat / sunscreen off your face and arms whenever you need to, instead of getting all gross.
3. Most importantly - dip the towel into the cold water in the bathrooms, or even ask the people at the drinks stalls to give you some ice / cold water to soak it in (they always do) and THEN put it on your back, and this will instantly cool you down, even at the hottest times of the day. I had REALLY bad sunstroke when we first got into the festival site, in 2004, and a few minutes in the shade and an ice cold towel around my neck sorted me out real fast. Seriously, I cannot reccommend this enough.

100% agree. i'm very fare skin, but put a lot of sun block on, had a straw hat and a wet towel hanging from the back. Haven't been burned, knock on wood. Water people were totally cool with letting you dip it in, or take some ice

Boourns

04-15-2008, 01:59 AM

dont be afraid to wander, dont feel you have to stick through a bands full set...split up your set times unless you are a major fan. you will see and hear so much more.

Eh. I'd only do that if the band isn't that great. Why waste 5-15 minutes walking from point A to point B not hearing anyone unless it's necessary?

Sonicifyouwantit

04-15-2008, 11:23 AM

Eh. I'd only do that if the band isn't that great. Why waste 5-15 minutes walking from point A to point B not hearing anyone unless it's necessary?

5 minutes isnt bad and you end up finding gems from stage to stage on your way. Like I said if you are into the band stay but dont feel like you must stay just for the sake of commiting.

KatieLyn

04-15-2008, 11:59 AM

Two words: Sun screen.

That is all.

Vanman

04-15-2008, 01:30 PM

Can anybody get into the Sponsored tents?

Sonicifyouwantit

04-15-2008, 04:19 PM

Can anybody get into the Sponsored tents?

what do you mean?

mstrkrftwrk

04-15-2008, 05:40 PM

Bring a bandanna. It is extremely helpful. you could dip it in water to cool off. use it as a sweat band, and most importantly tie it over your face like a cowboy when leaving at the end of the day that way you don't have to breathe all the dust on the way out and in the parking lot.

somahead

04-16-2008, 12:03 AM

Cottonelle (sp?) sells these boxes of individually packaged flushable towlettes. Easy to carry and come in handy after the inevitable, or just to clean off during the day.

Leave the wallet in the car, at the hotel, etc. Just come to the grounds with the essentials on a money clip, being money and an ID. Less to lose is always a plus.

Be pleasant with the hired help, especially the food vendors. I can't imagine these people are making very much and are out there sweating to make sure you have a good time.

Leave your comfort zone and make friends. I hate thinking how I secluded myself during my first years at Coach.

Take pictures of anything that catches your eye and bring them back to the boards. Always leads to some good laughs, especially when various posters manage to chronicle a single stranger's weekend completely by chance. I am reminded last year of the guy who never witnessed a band he couldn't see (in all his 7foot glory).

21 and not picky with food choices? head to the beer gardens where lines are extremely short.

Sonicifyouwantit

04-21-2008, 03:23 PM

Book the house you want to rent for coachella weekend in your own name...that way when monday before the event rolls around you arent told it burned down in an electrical fire....like what happened to me today.

tripcalifornia

05-02-2008, 12:45 PM

ok so if the person wanted to return your phone why wouldnt they just call someone on your address book, such as HOME, MOM, or anyone of your friends in your cell phones memory??

it does however apply to cameras because you cant access any phone numbers on it.

If I lose the phone at the venue and it is found there, then it can hopefully be returned while I'm still there since I'm probably there with my boyfriend, my mom wouldn't be able to tell the person where to find me there. Also, I usually have my phone locked, so only the wallpaper is seen, a person can't actually get into the phone without typing a password in.

dethroned

05-02-2008, 01:15 PM

When a very disoriented girl approaches and asks to use your cell phone because she's lost her friends, DO NOT LEND IT. Her friends lost their phone, and since mine was the last number that called in, the people who found it called me 17 TIMES asking who the phone belonged to. They were obviously as fucked up as the girl was.